~FAQs~

How many pads do I
need?

How many you need
depends on how frequently you run washes and how frequently you like
to change your pads (personal preference and flow heaviness variable...)
How many pads do you currently use? I would use that to gauge how many
you need. I personally prefer to have fewer pads that I wash more frequently
than to have too many pads to store and clean.

Which pads are right
for my flow?

Every woman has different
needs to provide the proper protection at different stages of the cycle
or during the postpartum period. Only you know best what is the right
pad for the right time. I like having a mix of different pads in my
collection because the pads I love for my heavy days are different then
the pads I love for my light days!

I am confused about
the naming of the pad. Can you help me figure out what I need?

This is very confusing
to me to because each pad maker uses their own definition of the words
mini and maxi. Sometimes they describe length and sometimes they describe
absorbency. Pads are usually sold in different lengths and different
thicknesses, longer pads frequently (but not always) being thicker then
shorter pads.Some makers use the words
day pad and night pad which is also confusing to me. My flow is lighter
at night but less predicable where it lands, so do the words night pad
mean heavy absorbency or long length? In most cases it means both, but
not always. If you cannot figure out what these words mean in the discription
by the maker I include please send me an email (inge at diaperware dot
com) and I can help you sort it out!

There are so many
to choose from which one is the best?

There is no one best
pad for everyone? Things you need to ask yourself are:

How heavy is
my flow? Do I need a waterproof liner? Does it need to be PUL? or do
I want breathable fleece or wool? PUL is most waterproof and
trimmest. But fleece or wool allow more airflow and thus less heat buildup
and more comfortable and possibly less risk of conditions favored by
heat buildup like yeast. Fleece will not shrink, wool used in pads is
felted so should not shrink much, but might shrink slightly and change
the shape of the pad slightly.How are my washing conditions? If you have lots of
minerals in your water or hand washing or other you might need to look
for a pad that is easy to wash with layers instead of an all in one
layer pad.What materials do you want? Are you a natural fiber or performance
fabric girl? Do you want a pretty pad? Different people have
different preferences? Are you looking for a staydry layer of polyester
on top? Do you want a microfiber inner? Or do you want an all natural
fiber pad? Do you want soft cotton or super absorbent hemp or silky
absorbent bamboo? Do you want hand dyed fabric art?

Answering some of these
questions should help you decide which pads to look for. Look at these
charts for more information on these details!

Do cloth pads shift?

What kind of underwear
are you using? As long as you are not using slippery materials the shifting
should not be a problem at all. To prevent shifting use
cotton underwear which is not slippery and do not use PUL next to it,
since PUL is also slippery.

Isn't hemp too stiff
and stinky for menstrual pads?

Cloth pads made from
hemp fleece should not be stiff. However if hemp is allowed to get detergent
residue in it, it will become stiff and will smell bad when used. AIO
pads with PUL on one side and microfleece on the other will be most
prone to have detergent residue since the water cannot go thru the PUL
and would have difficulty getting thru microfleece.

Different pads have
different washing recommendations, what do I do?

Pad care should be
simple. Please do not make it complicated. I would consider pad care
to be the same for all pads. They are all machine washable (except maybe
use delicate for wool backed pads) . For pad care on all pads I recommend
rinse under cool water until the water runs clear, then wash with the
next family load of similar color. Staining occurs with heat or time.
So rinsing under cool helps reduce staining and washing frequently instead
of waiting a week helps a lot with reducing staining. If you do not
want to wash them with family wash but want to wait until you have a
load of pads then soaking may help reduce staining. However with soaking
you must change the water every 8-12 hours to prevent soaking stink
into your pads. I do not recommend soaking in anything but water as
soaking in powerful cleaning solutions wears material out faster. For
longest life of material not soaking but more frequent washing so your
pads are clean most of the time will cause the least wear and tear on
the fabric in my opinion. Make sure that whatever you wash with they
are all well rinsed out, as detergent and other residues will be very
irritating to your skin. Some pad makers recommend soaking in hydrogen
peroxide solutions. I have not found this to be necessary and recommend
to keep your pad care routine as simple as possible, because life is
complicated enough, pads should make your life easier and more comfortable,
not more complicated!

What should I do with
the money I save using reusable menstrual products?

Buy flowers and celebrate
miracle of your fertility cycle! Or find a way to celebrate that feels
just right for you!